


To Right a World That Burns

by LiteralLiterateLucifer



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Betrayal, Blood and descriptions of violence, Canon Divergence, Death, Edelgard’s Route, Fem Byleth, Gen, General Angst, If you’re looking for a happy ending then this ain’t it, Purposeful murder, accidental murder, lots of death, “I see this as an absolute win!” I say while crying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 15:40:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20950808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiteralLiterateLucifer/pseuds/LiteralLiterateLucifer
Summary: “... I will do whatever it takes to make things right. For you, for Claude, for Fódlan. I swear that upon my life.”





	To Right a World That Burns

**Author's Note:**

> This was both fun to write, and it hurt immensely 
> 
> But I liked the idea so

The battle was nearly done with. Standing in the pelting rain, Edelgard gripped Aymr so hard her knuckles had turned white under her blood stained gloves. Soon the time would come to face Rhea- The Immaculate One- and end war once and for all. But now it was better to focus at the task at hand. 

Dimitri was kneeled in front of the Emperor, desperately clutching at Areadbhar whose glow had begun to fade with the man’s life. His head was bowed as he panted, the ground around him painted crimson with the blood that flowed from his numerous wounds, mingling with the mud and rain. But even now, she could feel the power which radiated off of him in waves. 

It would be a grievous error to not finish him here and now. 

Edelgard steeled herself. A deep breath, raising her weapon, and closing her eyes to what even she could not bear to watch; the execution of the Tempest King, Dimitri, the man she considered her first love. Before she thought any further, her arms moved and brought Aymr down upon his neck. 

But her axe didn’t hit him. 

No, as she brought her weapon down it met something,  _ someone  _ else. And it tore through them like a knife cutting butter. 

_ Light green hair.  _

Byleth collapsed, chest slashed open and covered in crimson. She made no sound as blood poured from the wound and to the ground, eyes slowly trailing to look at her two former students. And even in the pelting rain, it was clear, she was crying. 

And there, crumpled on the ground, Byleth spoke her final words. “I’m sorry…” she hacked up a stream of coppery blood, hand weakly reaching out to the two. “Dimitri… I’m… sorry…” And then, her hand slowly went limp. Gasps of shock and wails of sorrow echoed throughout the battlefield on both sides as a woman beloved by so many met her grisly fate on the battlefield. 

“Byleth!” Edelgard cried out, mortified with herself. Her mind flashed with images of the Professor, smiling so sweetly, comforting her, giving her the strength to follow this path. That sweet, caring, woman now lay dead, slain by the hands of her former student.  _ What have I done? Dear goddess what have I done? _

In her moment of pure emotion, Edelgard dropped Aymr and tried to run over to the body but she was stopped suddenly, by an agonizing pain. She may have been distracted but Dimitri was far from forgetting his revenge. 

Looking down, she saw Areadbhar. Impaled through her torso with such strength that it had came out the other end. And suddenly, she understood. Byleth had sacrificed herself to give Dimitri this opportunity. The realization hurt more than the lance embedded within her. How long had they planned this? How long had they felt this way, and yet kept on smiling and reassuring Edel in all she did? 

_ If this was her intention, then why, WHY did she call me El? _

Edelgard’s eyes welled with tears as they met Dimitri’s, her hands clenched around the lance which impaled through her abdomen, as she saw the most raw, visceral hatred. Though he was pale from the blood loss, ragged from lack of sleep, those blue eyes burned with the intensity of a thousand suns as he lurched forward, driving the relic further in. This man near dead seemed to be possessed by a devil. But Edelgard didn’t make a sound, just focused on the ungodly pain, the warmth of blood pooling at her feet, and the cool rain. 

And below her, the bloodied king screamed, “I WILL THROW MY SOUL INTO THE PITS OF HELL IF IT MEANS I HAVE YOUR HEAD. I WILL NOT LET BYLETH’S SACRIFICE BE IN VAIN.” 

Suddenly, as quick as it came, the pain started to fade out. As the world blurred and darkened, she was only faintly aware of the blood which had pooled in her mouth and dribbled down her chin. Of the strength Dimitri was rapidly losing. Of the charging of soldiers, moving to slay this Demon King. Her thoughts focused on one thing, and one thing alone.

_ Byleth…  _

_ My teacher, were our paths not the same..? Did you always yearn to follow him..? _

_ I’m sorry, everyone. I’m so, so, sorry…  _

—

Several weeks prior, Dimitri was resting in his quarters at Fhirdiad when an owl suddenly flew into the window. It hooted at him a couple times as the blonde just stared, before slowly getting up from bed and approaching it. The owl hooted once more, dropped a letter it’d been holding in a talon and flew back off into the night. 

He picked it up and unfurled the battered piece of parchment, reading it under the pale moonlight. 

_ Dear Dimitri, _

_ _

_ I’m sorry that my first words to you since five years ago are over letter. I wish we could’ve met in better circumstances but reality isn’t so forgiving. I understand if you don’t want to hear from me. I know what I did. I betrayed you, the church, the people of the Kingdom and Alliance. But I’m sending you this because I want to make things right.  _

_ A week ago we fought the Alliance in Derdriu. I’ve killed so many people, I didn’t think it would be any different then than any other time. But I was wrong. I’m the one who killed Claude, not Edelgard. And I killed Hilda, Seteth, and Flayn as well. There is no repenting for my crimes anymore, I’m afraid.  _

_ But I’m afraid I can’t keep going on like this. The days get harder and harder, I can’t recall the last time I’ve genuinely smiled. I deserve this, but I’m filled with regret for the path I’ve chosen. Edelgard… her goals are what drew me in but now I’m trapped in this web soaked in the blood of people I know deserved to live. I believe I may have loved her once, but she’s changed... or perhaps it’s just me. _

_ I’m sorry that you can’t send correspondence back, lest Hubert find out I contacted you but… Dimitri, I will do whatever it takes to make things right. For you, for Claude, and for Fódlan. I swear that upon my life.  _

_ Sincerely yours,  _

_ Byleth  _

Dimitri stared at the letter in shock for a few long moments. When he finally regained himself, he folded it and tucked it away in his pocket. Byleth… could he trust her after all this time, believe her grief? She wasn’t asking anything of him, more just saying what seemed to be weighing on her soul. He sighed and shook his head, deciding to keep the letter to himself. They would meet in the battlefield soon enough and the answer would become clear. 

_ Professor… I want to believe you. But to do that, I need you to prove your remorse.  _


End file.
